The Nexus 5X continues Google’s trend of offering premium performance at a much lower price point than you might expect. Manufactured by LG, this is another flagship phone that Google got right and it will do good things to the uptake of Android Marshmallow.
The Google Nexus 5X looks much like previous models. The size is right and it has a white, black or light green case. The screen is good and it has a small bezel and bump to house the camera lens. It doesn’t look like a premium phone, certainly not if you put it next to a Galaxy S6 Edge or iPhone, but it certainly does perform like one.
The Google Nexus 5X comes with a 5.2-inch screen, measures 147 x 72.6 by 7.9mm and weights 136g. The display runs at 1080 by 1920 pixels at 423ppi and is an IPS LCD screen. The phone uses a 64-bit Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset running at 1800MHz. That chipset includes the ARM Cortex-A57 and Adreno 418 GPU. It also has 2GB of RAM in support and either a pitiful 16GB or a more usable 32GB of storage built in. A 2,700mAh batter provides enough juice to last a full day under moderate use.
The Google Nexus 5X also has a 12.3MP rear camera and a 5MP front one. The rear unit uses a Sony IMX377 sensor and laser autofocus for fast targeting. It is also apparently capable of 4K video.
One of the highlights of the Google Nexus 5X is the Nexus Imprint fingerprint reader. Located on the case just under the camera lens, it’s easy to use with one hand and allows secure locking and unlocking of the phone. Use it to access the phone and there is no need to swipe the screen to wake up as you usually do.
Another highlight is the introduction of a no-frills version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Free of network and vendor overlays, this is Android as it is meant to be experienced. It’s fast, fluid and easy to use. There is nothing outstanding about the OS over Lollipop but we do like to keep current.
Finally, the Google Nexus 5X works flawlessly with most carriers in Europe and the US, so no matter where you are, getting connected is easy.
Once you get over the non-premium feel of the Google Nexus 5X, you’re likely to quickly feel at home. The phone is fast, the camera excellent and the Nexus Imprint so easy to use it will fast become second nature.
Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.